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Township residents Lynn Parr and Greg Fuchs, who live on 263rd Avenue, approached the township board about unsafe speeds on the road and their desire for ÒWatch For ChildrenÓ signs to be posted along the road at the boardÕs meeting on Monday, July 10.

The township established a policy a couple years ago not to post ÒWatch For ChildrenÓ signs, based on a recommendation from the county highway engineer.

Parr and Fuchs, concerned by the speed of traffic turning from Highway 23 onto the road and by the speed of traffic coming down the road towards the intersection with Highway 23, wanted signs posted to help slow traffic and make drivers aware of the presence of children.

Since the township does not post ÒWatch For ChildrenÓ signs Ð and in fact removes existing ones Ð one compromise would have been for the township to provide the signs but have Parr and Fuchs erect them out of the township right-of-way.

Parr rejected this because she felt the signs then would be too far from the road right-of-way to be visible. ÒYouÕre telling me I canÕt have them on my road. The children in town can have them, but children in the township cannot. ThatÕs not fair,Ó she told the board.

ÒI think I have every right as a taxpayer to have this,Ó she added.

Recommendations on ÒWatch For ChildrenÓ signs appear to be mixed, with some government bodies using them but others not. How the signs affect the township liability-wise is also unclear.

The argument against using them is that they do not reduce speeds while giving children a false sense of security that traffic is watching out for them. ÒFor awhile, a ÔWatch For ChildrenÕ sign didnÕt mean much because they were all over (in the township),Ó explained Don Pietsch, chairman of the township board. ÒThatÕs the problem we had.Ó

There also is a cost to erect and maintain them, as well as they being an extra obstacle to ditch mowing.

If the signs donÕt do anything, Parr wondered, why do they have them in town? ÒItÕs just a dangerous place,Ó she said. ÒI donÕt think itÕs a false sense of security. I just donÕt want anyone to get hurt.Ó

ÒI understand you adopted a policy but I think itÕs time to change it,Ó she added.

Supervisor John Atwood didnÕt think accommodating the request would set a precedent, calling it a Òspecial request.Ó ÒI would hate to see anyone get hurt regardless of our policy,Ó he said.

ÒAs soon as we do it,Ó countered board chairman Don Pietsch, who noted that the township has had three or four similar requests, Òwe might as well open it up to everybody else.Ó

One compromise was the township erecting a pedestrian crossing sign (which the township still uses) in the road right-of-way by ParrÕs and FuchsÕ residence.

Supervisor Pat Meagher liked the idea of declaring 263rd Avenue a Rustic Road, which would require lowering the speed limit to 40 mph. This would slow traffic both coming off the highway and driving to the highway, and it would be enforceable by the police. Right now, 263rd Avenue is not posted, so technically the speed limit is 55 mph.

The township board was going to research the matter a bit more and is expected to make a decision at their second monthly meeting on Monday, July 24.